In modern dairy farm industry there are continuous research and development activities in order to improve the efficiency of various activities such as machine milking, which, inter alia, involves increased milk yield and reduced milking time.
A major trend in this respect is an increased degree of automation of the various activities. For instance, machine milking may be performed completely automated by means of computer-controlled milking robots.
A diagram of an automatic milking station is schematically illustrated in FIG. 1. A milking stall 1, which animals may visit on a voluntary basis to be milked, includes an entry gate 3 and an exit gate 5, respectively, which can be opened and closed by means of a gate opening/closing arrangement 7. At the entry gate there is arranged an animal identification arrangement 9 for identification of an animal presenting itself at the entry gate 3. Within milking stall 1 there is arranged a milking machine 11 and a robot 13.
The milking machine 11 includes four teat cups, schematically indicated at 15, connected to a milk collection vessel or end unit 17 and to a source of vacuum 19. Further, the milking machine includes typically a number of none illustrated valves, a milk flow meter, a feeding device or other enticing means, and cleaning capabilities.
The robot 13 includes a robot arm 21 and a gripper 23 for automatic application of the teat cups 15 to the teats of a milking animal present in the stall 1. Further, a video camera 25 is arranged on the robot arm 21 close to the gripper 23 to allow for an adaptive control of actions performed.
The gate opening/closing arrangement 7, the animal identification arrangement 9, the milking machine 11, the robot 13 and the video camera 25 are each connected to a computer (PC) 27 by means of a respective individual signal conduit. The computer 27 manages and controls the performance of the milking station according to software installed therein. To this end computer 27 holds a database (DB) 29 of milking animals capable of visiting milking stall 1 and records inter alia points of time at which each one of the milking animals capable of visiting milking stall 1 is milked.
Further, the computer 27 may be provided with a touch screen (TS) 31 or other suitable output/input means in order to inform a human user of the milking station and to allow the user to modify/alter the software installed therein.
During operation the gates 3 and 5 are initially closed and when a milking animal presents herself at the entry gate 3 she is identified by means of the animal identification arrangement and this identification is transferred to the computer 27, which depending on e.g. the time lapsed since she was milked last makes a decision if she should be allowed to be milked or not. If the decision is affirmative, the computer 27 controls the gate opening/closing arrangement 7 to firstly open entry gate 3 to allow the identified milking animal to enter milking stall 1, and to subsequently, when the identified milking animal has entered milking stall 1, close entry gate 3.
Thereafter, the computer 27 controls the robot 13 to apply the teat cups 15 of the milking machine 11, one at a time, to the teats of the milking animal present in the milking stall 1. Such control is typically performed depending on image information as received from video camera 25.
When a teat cup 15 has been applied to a teat of the animal the computer 27 initiates milking of that teat by means of activating the source of vacuum 19 or opening a none-illustrated valve. During milking, milk is drawn from the teats of the milking animal and is collected in vessel 17 and the amount of milk drawn is typically recorded by means of one or several none-illustrated milk flow meters. When the milk flow falls below a threshold value or when a predetermined period of time has passed milking is ended by means of the computer 27 controls the source of vacuum 19 or one or several none-illustrated valves of the milking machine 11.
The teat cups are removed from the teats of the animal and are typically returned to an idle position by robot 13 or by any other suitable means.
Finally, the computer 27 controls the gate opening/closing arrangement 7 to firstly open exit gate 5 to allow the milked milking animal to leave milking stall 1, and to subsequently, when the milked animal has left milking stall 1, close exit gate 5. The dashed arrows indicate thus the path a milking animal, which is milked, follows through the milking station.
A drawback of such a milking station is that the capacity thereof is limited since only one animal at a time can be milked.
A drawback of using two or more milking stations in an area intended to house a herd of milking animals is that there is no coordination between the milking stations and thus an animal, having recently been milked in one milking station, may present herself at another milking station and be allowed to be milked therein. Such performance is neither optimal from a milk production point of view nor from animal health point of view.